This time a year ago, the Los Angeles Angels were in a predicament.
Mike Trout, a three-time MVP as the team’s center fielder, was returning from a left knee contusion. The Angels wanted his bat in the lineup, but did not want to run him into the ground by having him play the outfield, as has often been the case this decade.
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Jorge Soler arrived in MLB a decade ago as a corner outfielder with the Chicago Cubs. But he had been more accustomed to designated hitter work in recent years. Unfortunately for the Angels, the rules allow only one player to serve as the DH.
Trout got the nod from then-manager Ron Washington, a questionable call in hindsight. Soler struggled to adapt to playing the field regularly and never really found his stride. Trout also had his worst season at the plate (.797 OPS) despite remaining healthy (130 games).
Flash forward a year. Trout has been one of the American League’s most valuable players in 2026 as the Angels’ everyday center fielder, rekindling the usual round of trade rumors.
Soler, meanwhile, is slashing .212/.294/.389 through the end of May. He’s a top-20 DH by weighted runs created plus (91), RBIs (31), and home runs (nine). His average bat speed (74.8 mph, per Statcast) is up a tick compared to last year (74.0).
And while none of that makes Soler an especially salivating trade target for fans, it does make him a strong candidate to change teams before the Aug. 3 deadline.
That’s because the Angels (23-37) are once again closer to the bottom of the AL standings than the league’s third and final Wild Card berth. Soler is in the final year of a three-year, $42 million contract he signed with the San Francisco Giants prior to the 2024 season.
As a pending free agent, Soler’s $13 million contract will only appeal to more suitors if the Angels kick in some money to pay it down. Either way, there should be interest.
The San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, and Chicago White Sox have all gotten less production from their DHs than the Angels this season. All would be playoff teams if the season ended today. The Pittsburgh Pirates, a half-game out of the third and final Wild Card berth in the National League through the end of May, are in a similar position of need.
The Angels can miss the playoffs without Soler just as well as they can with him, so any prospects they can acquire in return should appeal to general manager Perry Minasian. Saving a dollar on Soler’s contract should appeal to owner Arte Moreno.
The suitors will be there. Making the decision on Soler should be merely a matter of time if the Angels continue at their current pace.
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